Police in Northampton have put on hold a free program where officers greeted students with high-fives as they arrived at elementary school on Fridays, citing concerns about the presence of officers.

In a Facebook message Saturday, police said they stopped the “High Five Friday’’ initiative after some people said they feared “some kids might respond negatively to a group of uniformed officers at their school.’’

“People were specifically concerned about kids of color, undocumented children, or any children who may have had negative experiences with the police,’’ the post stated. Police “really enjoyed greeting kids as they arrived at school. But, as much as we enjoyed the visits, we also took time to listen to the thoughts of some School Committee members, school staff, and past and present parents/families.’’

Police got the idea for the “High Five Friday’’ program after it was presented at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in San Diego last fall, according to the department’s Facebook post.

After pitching it to school officials, the department got the blessing of Northampton Superintendent John A. Provost. The program began in December.

“Everyone was on board,’’ police wrote on Facebook. “Principals and teachers communicated the High Five Friday plan to staff, students, and families. We went to all of the elementary schools, exchanged high-fives, and even snuck in some playground time with kids.’’

But police said they began to hear “a few concerns’’ about the program, and were asked to halt their visits after a meeting with the Northampton School Committee, where issues were raised “that not all kids may feel comfortable with a police presence at the beginning of their school day.’’

“For a large portion of our population this program may not seem controversial,’’ police wrote. “However, we cannot overlook the fact that this program may be received differently by some members of our community. Most importantly, we want kids to arrive at school enthusiastic and ready to learn.’’

Steve Annear can be reached at steve.annear@globe.com.